Currently available image sensor based optical readers include circuitry which (1) captures a frame image data into a decoding buffer memory location, (2) attempts to decode a bar code symbol or OCR decodable text message represented in the frame image data, and which (3) outputs a decoded-out message corresponding to a decodable indicia represented in the frame of image data.
In these readers there is no further attempt to decode a message encoded in symbol or text characters represented in the frame of image data. When decoding fails using such a device, the reader captures another frame of image data, attempts to decode it, and continues capturing frames of image data and attempting to decode image data until a trigger of the reader is released or until a symbol is successfully decoded. If the symbol or text string is otherwise decodable but the reader is not configured to read the symbol or OCR text string in the field of view of the reader, another optical reader must be utilized to decode the decodable symbol or text string. Decodable symbols and decodable text characters are referred to generically herein as “decodable indicia.”
Another problem noted with use of optical readers is fraud. Bar code symbols are now used for identifying a wide range of products and other items including retail items, shipping containers, U.S. patents and personal identification cards. The increased use of bar code symbols and decodable text characters has made decodable symbol and text characters the target of fraud perpetrators. A common fraud scheme perpetrated in connection with decodable indicia is transposition. In a transposition fraud scheme a decodable indicia is taken from one item (such as a retail product of lower value) and transposed on another item (such as an item of higher value). Unfortunately, presently available optical readers are not equipped to detect when such transposition fraud schemes have taken place. Especially in environments where the decoding of symbols and text characters is highly automated, transposition and other fraud schemes related to bar code use go undetected.
There is a need for an optical reader which is better equipped to read obscure or otherwise hard to read symbols or text characters and which is better equipped for detecting fraud.